Maternity Services

(asked on 13th February 2020) - View Source

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will issue guidance to NHS Trusts to increase the provision for fathers staying with the mother and baby in hospital.


Answered by
Nadine Dorries Portrait
Nadine Dorries
This question was answered on 24th February 2020

It is important that fathers have time to bond with their baby and support their partner. ‘Health Building Note 09-02: Maternity care facilities’ sets out best practice guidance on the design and planning of healthcare facilities so that partners and other supporters feel welcome in maternity services. This includes the provision of overnight accommodation for partners within birthing spaces and postnatal rooms or close to the unit. Maternity services need to understand their local populations and develop local policies that enable fathers to support their partners as much as they want to whilst respecting the privacy of other women.

Parents of babies who may require neonatal critical care should also be supported to stay with their baby. The NHS Long Term Plan sets out how we will redesign and expand neonatal critical care services to improve the safety and effectiveness of services and experience of families.

Reticulating Splines